EU permanent reps to consider rationality of keeping in place sanctions against Russia

October 28, 2014, 8:48 UTC+3BRUSSELSAmbassadors of 28 members-states will review implementation of peace plan in Ukraine, compliance with ceasefire, results of Verkhovna Rada election, and Russia’s role in settling crisis in south-east

BRUSSELS, October 28. /TASS/. The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the European Union (COREPER) is expected to hold a regular meeting on Tuesday where it will conduct yet another assessment of rationality of a further maintenance of sanctions against Russia.

The press secretary of the EU’s foreign policy service told TASS on Monday a scheduled reassessment of the sanctions would be held as planned previously.

Assessment of the situation in Ukraine and its examination in the context of sanctions against Russia will be held on Tuesday, October 28, a source in the European institutions told TASS.

Ambassadors of the 28 members-states are expected to review the implementation of the peace plan in Ukraine, compliance with the ceasefire, the results of Sunday’s election to the Verkhovna Rada, and Russia’s role in settling the crisis in the eastern regions of the much-troubled former Soviet republic.

COPERER has the power to take decisions on revoking or altering sanctions.

“The ambassadors’ job now is to analyze the situation and to give recommendations to the EU Council of Foreign Ministers,” one of the ambassadors told TASS. The problem is the sanctions were introduced at a summit meeting of the EU and any considerable changes in them may also require decisions at the level of the heads of state and government.

Unanimous support by all the member-states of the EU is mandatory for any decisions on the mitigation of sanctions.